“Along with the trail system, [sidewalks] probably touch more neighborhoods and more parts of the city than any other MAPS 3 project,” Cornett said at a ribbon-cutting ceremony Thursday to mark the completion of phase 1 of the sidewalk project. “If you look at these sidewalks, I think they exceed expectations, which is continuing the…

After failing to negotiate a purchase price with the owners of several lots west of Chesapeake Energy Arena, the Oklahoma City Council authorized city staff to file an eminent domain claim with a vote on March 18.The timing of the vote is one that Ward 2 Councilman Ed Shadid finds ironic. “The city, in my…

The Sooner Theatre rolls out the red carpet this Saturday for Moore Norman Technology Center’s (MNTC) 6th Annual Film Festival showcasing student work from its digital video production (DVP) and graphic design classes. The eight short films to be showcased were written, produced, directed and edited by MNTC students for their DVP capstone course. Working…

Registering a storm shelter helps emergency workers find them if a storm damages a home. “The number of storm shelter installations has skyrocketed in the past year, so we know there are thousands of new shelters that need to be registered,” Action Center manager Beth Crounse said.

From tragedy comes art, so Lyric Theatre presents the new musical Triangle at the Plaza Theatre, inspired by the disastrous Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire. The show’s creators — Curtis Moore (music), Thomas Mizer (lyrics) and Joshua Scher (book with Moore and Mizer) — also link the story tenuously to the World Trade Center attack of…

The council heard a presentation Tuesday from Tom Morsch, managing director of The PFM Group, an investment advisory firm performing a hotel feasibility study for the city. With a new convention center planned for Oklahoma City in the coming years as part of MAPS 3, the council has discussed what tax incentives might be needed…

The Deli in Norman will host Jammin’ For Jack 2, a fundraising concert for The Children’s Center, Sunset Therapeutic Riding Center and the local Reaves family. Last year, the Reaves held a fundraiser to help pay medical bills for their son Jack. This year, they are giving back to organizations that have helped their son…

Respect is what they demanded. Respect in the form of better pay, fewer standardized tests and increased funding. “Things need to change,” said Janie Petersen, a councilor from Claremore Public Schools outside Tulsa. “Our [state leaders] don’t respect teachers, they don’t even respect the kids. It’s hurtful.” Initial estimates put the crowd at over 25,000…

Construction on the cultural center stopped in 2012 when state money for the project was exhausted. Since then, supporters of the cultural center have tried to convince legislators the project can be completed if the state approves the $40 million combined with an additional $40 in private donations. The state’s portion would come from Oklahoma’s…